Getting Through
by Phalanx30
Summary: What can a snap decision mean? How would it affect everyone? An AU of Wild at Heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

Getting Through

Chapter 1: A Second Too Late

Buffy was running, she and Oz had to get to Willow before Veruca could hurt her. Oz was more worried about Veruca killing Willow when the moon's power hit her and she turned into the animal he was also.

Oz lost Buffy as she ran into somebody, he couldn't think about that, he had to reach Willow as soon as he could. He kept running, he could feel the wolf within him, giving him speed, it was almost time. He thought as he ran '_Not enough time, if I wolf out near Willow, I might kill her, just like Veruca. That's what she's planning._'

Buffy was incensed, she was trying to save one of her best friends, and this moron had to pick this moment to screw things up. She took a moment to vent her frustration on the camouflaged man who had knocked her down. She punched him across the face. He went down, got back up, looking for a fight. It was rather short, as the next punch Buffy sent his way rocked his head back. He went down again, and didn't get back up. Buffy grabbed her tranquilizer gun and sprinted away.

She reached where she knew Willow, and thus Veruca and Oz, would be. She entered the room, surveyed the scene and fired two quick shots. They both hit their targets. It was then that she heard Willow's whimpered yet loud "Buffy!" The reason it was loud, Willow was incredibly scared, she was shaking. The reason for the whimper was the wolf that had her arm clamped in its mouth. The wolf, she had seen before, it was short and black. Many was the night she had kept Willow company watching him. Now she thought '_Well, guess I'll can take over wolf-watching duty, for the both of them._ _Stupid commando guy!"_

She moved over to Willow, noting the other dead wolf in the room '_That must be Veruca, this is just perfect, I thought getting out of high school was going to make things easier._' She pried the wolf from Willow and hugged her friend as she let go, collapsed, and sobbed into Buffy. It went on for a while. Willow had to face a lot this day, and from here on she would have to face more. She got Willow some medical attention, and came back for Oz, who she shot once more for good measure and because she wanted to, and put him back in his cage. Soon it was going to be a room for two.

! #$%^&*()

It was the next day, and Buffy knew Willow was talking with Oz. She had just finished bringing Giles up to speed on what happened. She was just outside the door to Oz's room, when she heard on the other side of the door a distinct voice say "My whole life I've never loved anything else." Moments later, the door opened and the owner of the voice moved past her and headed outside. Buffy glanced into the room where Willow was crying once again, she noted the bandages on Willow's arm where Oz had bitten her. Buffy turned and caught up to the person who had hurt her friend so much yesterday. "So, Oz, what are you doing with that bag."

"I'm leaving." was all he could say, if he thought about it for much longer, he wouldn't be able to go through with it. He had to go, he would just hurt everyone more if he stayed.

Buffy had the opposite thought '_How dare he._' and she said "You're what?" with the kind of intent that anybody who had met angry Buffy knew to be wary of when it was used.

Oz was not very perceptive at the moment, he missed the danger in her voice and he answered without the required thought "I have to."

He was, therefore, surprised when he felt himself grabbed by the blond slayer, who shoved and held him against the wall. Her eyes were narrowed, Oz should have been terrified "You what!? You have to, is that right. Well, change of plans, you better follow me, I don't want to haul you back in there, but I will if I have to." Buffy wished he wouldn't follow her, it would be a good outlet to grab Oz by the scruff of his shirt and drag him back. Wishes weren't coming true today, as Oz followed her silently.

As they came back into the room, Willow was still looking outside watching Oz's van, waiting for it to drive away. Her face was still soaked in tears. Buffy caught her attention "Um...Wil...okay, I know I might be sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, well anyway, Oz sit the hell down, and stay!"

Oz did as he was told as Willow looked on in confusion. Buffy looked at both "Alright, Willow, stoic guy over here said he was leaving. Do you want him to go?"

"N-No." Willow sniffled.

Buffy turned to Oz who seemed unaffected on the outside, but he was steadily swinging to '_Maybe I shouldn't leave._' in his ever-whirling thoughts. Buffy didn't appreciate his thoughtfulness, not even a little bit. "What about you? Are you saying you want this" she pointed at the slowly non-tearful Willow "to happen?"

Oz stared at the girl he loved "No, but I still have to go." said girl looked ready to revert to sob-y Willow, that seemed to be her new default state.

Buffy thought that Giles would call her 'meddlesome' but she didn't care, her friend was hurting, going through the same things Buffy had went through when Angel left. If she could save Willow from that, she would. "You're a coward, I once called you the loyal type, but all you are is a sniveling little coward."

Willow tried to speak up, Buffy was wrong, Oz had good reasons for leaving "Buffy, don't-"

"Sorry, but I'm on a roll here, so Oz let's see. So far you've cheated on my friend with another wolf, she tries to kill Willow, you stop her and almost kill your girlfriend anyway. And to top it all off you've made her a werewolf. And now what you're just gonna pack up and leave her to deal with all that alone!?" Buffy was stalking back and forth, she would have a really good time patrolling tonight, she seriously hoped to run into something she could pummel.

Oz couldn't really defend himself, so he sat there, looking at Willow, and he remembered all the time he had spent with her. How much he had missed her when he had broken up with her, and how happy he became once he had reconciled with her. He remembered how useless he felt when she was captured by the Mayor and Faith. And finally he went back to minutes ago when she had asked 'Don't you love me?' He looked at her again, and the answer became easy "No, I'm not going to leave, not now anyway You can sit down now Buffy, thanks."

"What? Are you sure? I mean I don't want-" Willow was still trying to process everything. Something she hadn't given much thought to before now forced its way to the surface. '_Oh, that's right, werewolf now. I get bitten by a vampire for the first time, and now I'm a werewolf._' "Alright mister, are you staying for good or is this just a limited-time thing."

Oz, who was now thinking about how he should change the cage, replied "I don't know, but I'll stay for your first change, at least."

Willow was about to respond when Buffy interrupted "Oh great, now I'm the werewolf couples therapist."

Oz looked at her with a smirk "I guess so."

Willow remained on the topic at hand "That's fine for now, but you can't just spring the leaving thing on me like that. Ooh, maybe I could find a collar for you." At the odd look from Buffy she clarified "A mystical one, so he can't pull the whole 'disappeared' act when he's with the band."

"Wil, I said I wasn't going anywhere, I know I've broken your trust, but I mean that." Oz looked more than his usual thoughtful self.

Buffy just shook her head "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to see things I don't want to with you two." She glanced between them and saw no reassurances coming. '_Great, I just wanted to protect my friend, now I'm probably going to be a dog-sitter, well at least I can take a break from my usual weird nights, and replace them with other weirdness. My best friend and her boyfriend, and I'll have to watch them, I don't want Xander doing it, maybe Giles could. This was so not in the job description._'


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

**Spoilers and Timeline: **Buffy up Season 4 "Wild at Heart"

Getting Through

Chapter 2

Buffy was in the cafeteria at UC Sunnydale, trying to muddle her way through what seemed to be a maze of food service options. She was trying to block out all the help that Parker Abrams had given her with perils that came with getting that essential sustenance.

Thinking about him and her reaction to him, combined with what had happened to Willow caused her anger to flare as well as her strength, causing the frozen yogurt machine to begin spewing its contents all over her bowl with no way to stop it.

She heard conversation and laughter in the dining area behind and to her left, she turned, hoping nobody had seen her bust the machine, that had now stopped its river of pinkish-red yogurt, because she had bent the nozzle. She looked over the assorted student-filled tables and noticed Professor's Walsh's TA sitting with what she assumed were his friends.

What struck her was the nose brace and two black eyes he was sporting, and her eyes narrowed and she thought '_So, Riley Finn, how did you get those? It wouldn't happen to be because you were running around in camo gear the other day?' _Buffy's slayer senses weren't attuned to human threats, but she would recognize her handiwork. Riley must have been stronger than average, otherwise, how could he be up so soon after she had knocked him senseless? It helped that she hadn't seen anyone else on campus having similar injuries.

Buffy decided about Mr. Finn, it had been his fault that Willow was a werewolf, and that she almost experienced the same heartbreak that Buffy had gone through when Angel left. Buffy's decision involved any future interactions with the ever so helpful TA, she would be curt but polite, he would never find out anything about her, and she would try to find out as much as she could about why he was running around playing soldier-boy.

If Buffy's life were a book, the next chapter had been vastly rewritten with that one decision.

! #$%^&*()

Oz had begged off classes for the day, he needed to talk to someone about what had happened. He was still dealing with the fact that he had almost killed the girl, who was rapidly blossoming into the woman, he loved.

When he had first met her, she had been a whiz with computers and very serious about her studies, now she was that and a magic user who was strong enough to forcibly move a soul, and she had done that when she was hurt.

Oz had two choices about who to go to for help. Xander and Giles were not at the college. And Oz thought that while Xander had his moments. He wasn't one for the deep and meaningful. The source, in this case, for consistent and well-thought out wisdom was Giles.

He knocked on the door to Giles' apartment, the former watcher answered the door rather quickly. Oz saw the older man was dressed as if he were going out somewhere, which was in contrast to his usual recent lax appearance.

Giles was confused, this was a first, Oz hadn't sought him out alone before "Hello, do you need something?"

"Yeah, I need to figure out what to do now." Oz was hoping he wasn't intruding, Giles seemed restless.

Giles was brought up short, this really wasn't a good time for the sort of lengthy discussion the young man would need "I was just leaving, can it wait?"

"I guess, but it's about Willow." Oz said quietly.

Giles sighed in turn "I suppose you can join me if you like, but please don't tell anyone about this later."

"Sure." Oz was puzzled, it sounded like Giles was ashamed of where he was going.

Oz was in the passenger seat of Giles' car, they were in the neighborhood around Giles apartment. Giles didn't seem to be in a hurry, wherever they were going, Giles wasn't concerned about time. He glanced at the werewolf "Well, what about Willow?"

"It's just, I don't know how she can look at me after what I did, and then there's Buffy, has she always been that scary?" Oz looked around, they were leaving the residential area and nearing one of Sunnydale's many cemetaries.

Giles remembered what Buffy had told him, both before and after her intervention on Willow's behalf. He also thought of those times when she was determined about something, she could be quite imposing when provoked. Giles snorted "Yes, she can be intimidating, what did she say?"

"She called me a coward, I was trying to keep from hurting Willow more than I already have. I thought leaving was the only way." Oz looked out and saw that the car had stopped at a cemetery.

Giles got out of the car and motioned for Oz to follow him as he walked into the graveyard. When Oz caught up to Giles, the older man said "This should serve as an object lesson."

"Why?" Oz found himself and Giles standing in front of a white headstone with a dull bronze nameplate. It was next to a small pond. The name was familiar but Oz couldn't place it immediately.

Giles stared at the grave and spoke quietly, as if he were in a library. "We always think we'll have more time, when the truth is, we have less than we know. I did some running of my own, when I found out Jenny's secret, I recoiled out of loyalty to Buffy. It seemed perfectly reasonable then, in the end it was a trite reaction that just led to more grief. Forgiveness would have been a better response, at least I could have had more moments with her and possibly told her how I felt."

"I know that, it's just how do I deal with Willow, let's say she lets me be a part of her life, what do I do?" Oz noticed that some of the grass around the grave was matted down, like someone had stood or sat on it many times.

Giles didn't raise his voice or look at the werewolf "Spend what time you can with her, make sure she knows how you feel, that will eat at you, having regrets and things left unsaid. You never know when it will end."

"How often do you come here?" Oz was curious, Giles seemed like he was always, except for some few lapses, centered with everything under control. Maybe this was why.

Giles turned to look at his companion then, this was a question he didn't like answering, even though he was no longer a watcher or a librarian, he sought to keep up some distance and the appearance of being unaffected by all the various misfortunes that he had endured, he was supposed to be a guide of sorts to Buffy and her friends. He couldn't do that if they realized he was still coping with events that had happened more than a year ago. "Less than I used to, I come here and tell her whats been happening, both with me and all of you. I believe she listens, and as this is the hellmouth, stranger things have happened."

"I get that, I'm sorry I insisted on talking with you, this is supposed to be private." Oz turned to walk away, leaving Giles to his silent and solitary vigil.

Giles reflected on his early visits. How he had wept over her. His tears were long spent, and he smiled, thinking about the vampires who had mistaken him for an easy kill, and why wouldn't they, there he would be, at night, in the middle of the cemetery, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. It wasn't so, and at least three of them had found out why he was a watcher, their dust was their only remnant.

! #$%^&*()

Oz had taken Giles' advice to heart, as he spent the rest of the day with Willow, at least when classes didn't interfere. He had feared she wouldn't want him to be around, especially after what he had done. Her relief that he hadn't left won out over any bitterness.

They were in her dorm room studying together, Riley had come by earlier, seeking information about Buffy, he had been shooed away rather quickly by Willow who had talked with Buffy about him.

They spent the day going over mutual homework, and getting Oz caught up in the class he had missed while talking with Giles. After a while, the schoolwork was completed and the conversation turned to personal matters. Willow was concerned about her new wolfy status. She was on her bed while Oz was sitting across from her on Buffy's bed. "What does it feel like when the..." she hesitated and gulped "'change' happens?"

"The first time, it's very sudden, if you try to fight, it will only hurt worse, just let it happen. The biggest problem will be the next morning, It'll be like the aftermath of the worst hangover, you won't know where you are at first, and you'll feel like you've run all night, so hungry and a little tired." Oz recalled his first change, how he had woken up in the woods.

Willow shifted a little, as she thought about how she would change, it was not a comfortable subject "Does it get any better? After the first time?"

"It hurts less, and if you're in the cage, the not knowing where you are is less of an issue, also there is more memory, at first you'll get nothing, and slowly, there'll be feelings and sensations, and eventually snapshots of some of what you see while the wolf has control." Oz still dreamed of her face right before he had bitten her, so scared, and yet still hopeful that he would stop himself from hurting her.

Willow smiled, then frowned, "So, feelings huh, could you tell who was around, by smell and such?"

"Yeah..." Oz would have told her how she was quite unique to the wolf, she wasn't calming, but there was a sense of warmth when she was in the room, the wolf wanted to be closer to her, unfortunately that involved teeth and claws, and an over-eagerness that would lead inevitably to either her death or her current situation. He would have said most of this but there was a knock at the door.

Willow, thinking it was Buffy coming back from a patrol that involved the Frat house where Riley lived, called out "Come in, it's just us, making with the wolfy talk."

It wasn't Buffy, it was Spike looking for Buffy, he came through and closed the door behind him, he smirked "Oh look, it's dog boy and Red. And here I am, just starving."

Oz lept up, reached under the bed and grabbed the first thing he touched, it was vial of holy water, before he could do anything with it Spike had closed on him, grabbed Oz and threw him across the room, Oz met up with the closet door and was knocked out.

Willow was defenseless, it was all too sudden for a floating pencil attack. After Spike had dealt with Oz he turned to Willow.

"So, I wonder if you'll scream." Spike's face vamped out, and pushed Willow on the bed, he loomed over her, she screamed until he bit her. The pain and rising coldness from losing her blood caused her eyes to widen immensely.

Her next to last thought was '_I wonder if he'll make me a vampire, it would fit with these last couple of days, and I'm going to die._'

Spike was enjoying the steadily slackening body beneath him, feeling the rush of the blood, it had a weird taste, but he had definitely had worse. He was so focused on his current meal, and her weakening struggles, that he was caught off guard when the bottle of holy water smashed against the side of his face. He was torn from Willow, took a swipe at Oz, sending him to the floor again. Willow's eyes fluttered closed from relief. At that moment the lights in the dorm went out and Spike could hear people outside the door preparing to come in, Spike decided to cut his losses and leave. He was almost out of the door when it opened.

Spike hurled himself at the commando's that had captured him earlier, he took a swing at one only to have a searing pain in his head send him reeling. Spike rolled with the pain and bodily slammed into another, taking them both out into the hallway. While the soldier's were dealing with Spike, Oz picked himself up to check on Willow.

She did not look good, Spike had taken a lot of blood from her, and she was trying to staunch the wounds in neck with her hand. Her eyes opened, locked on Oz's and closed again, while her hand slumped off her neck and more blood leaked out before he could move.

Oz cried out "Willow!" as Giles words came back to him '_you never know when it's going to end._' He tore off a hasty bandage and hoped he hadn't just watched her die.


End file.
